Personal-servicing communication system

ABSTRACT

A communication system offering specific services to specific persons bears a portable memory device with a record of personal information such as the bearer&#39;s identification number, class of service, personal data, etc. In making a call, the bearer of the memory device puts it on a communication terminal device and the terminal device reads out the personal information, which is transferred to a data processor such as a central processor in the exchange so that a service specific to the calling person is rendered.

This is a continuation of my U.S. application Ser. No. 173,673, filedMar. 25, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,217, which is a continuation ofmy U.S. application Ser. No. 669,797, filed Nov. 9, 1984, now U.S. Pat.NO. 4,759.056, issued on Jul. 19, 1988.

The present invention relates to a personal-servicing communicationsystem intended to render individual person oriented services, that isdemanded in the ever advancing communication servicing field, ratherthan terminal device oriented services.

As for the telephone system, there have been established modified formsof servicing dealing with individual telephone instruments, such as seenin a private telephone system with classes of service for the connectionto the public networks. In such a system, when a person uses a telephoneinstrument which belongs to another person, only a service classifiedfor that telephone instrument is granted, and therefore it is a deviceoriented service rather than a person oriented service. Telephone feesare also charged to each telephone instrument, and not to the individualperson. The abbreviated dialing and automatic dialing services arecurrently assigned to specific telephone instruments, although thepurpose of these services is personally oriented.

Furthermore, the conventional communication systems are based on astation-to-station concept. In the telephone system, for example,displaying the calling party's telephone number is practiced tentativelyin some area, but this system solely displays on the called telephoneinstrument a number assigned to the calling telephone instrument.However, any telephone instrument is not necessarily used by a specificperson, and therefore the displayed number does not uniquely identifythe calling person.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a personal-servicingcommunication system wherein a person using the system carries aportable memory device in which personal information is stored, and inoperation the person sets the memory device on an unspecifiedcommunication terminal device, which reads the personal information onthe memory device and renders the personally available service.

Another object of the invention is to provide a personal-servicingtelephone system wherein a person using the system carries a portablememory device in which personal information is stored and in operationthe person sets the memory device on an unspecified automatic dialingunit or telephone instrument, which reads the personal information onthe memory device and allows the person to make a call by automaticdialing or abbreviated dialing.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a telephone systemin which a called party is informed of the name of a calling person,instead of the directory number of a terminal device such as a numberassigned to the telephone instrument.

In order to achieve the foregoing objectives, the inventivepersonal-servicing communication system comprises a portable memorydevice, such as a punched card, magnetic card, electronic memory card,optical memory card, handheld computer, and the like, to be carried bythe user whose personal information, such as the personal identificationnumber, class of service, personal data, personal program, and so on, isrecorded on the memory device, a communication terminal device whichreads the personal information recorded on the memory device when it isset by the bearer of the device, and an exchange facility which allowsthe calling person to be connected to a communication controller, database or data processor in the communication network so as to render apersonally available service defined in the personal informationretrieved from the portable memory device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be further described in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the telephone terminal device embodyingthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal arrangement of thetelephone terminal device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the time division private exchangeembodying the present invention;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are flowcharts explaining the operation of the system indealing with the class of service for trunk connection and the affair ofcharging;

FIG. 5 is an illustration showing an example of the key-lamp panel 6Bprovided on the telephone terminal device shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are flowcharts explaining the operation of automaticdialing;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are flowcharts explaining the operation for displayingthe calling person's name on the called telephone instrument; and

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the connection between the privateexchange and the mail system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The first practical embodiment of the present invention dealing with theclass of service and charging in connecting a private telephone systemto the trunk will be described. The telephone, terminal device 1 shownin FIG. 1 includes a handset 2, a push-button dial 3, a magnetic cardreader 5 for reading a portable memory device 4 in the form of amagnetic card, key-lamp panels 6A, 6B and a display panel 7. Theportable memory device 4 has a record of bearer's identification number,and the record is read by the telephone terminal device 1 when the card4 is inserted in its magnetic card reader 5.

FIG. 2 shows in block form the internal arrangement of the telephoneterminal device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 shows in block form thearrangement of the time division private exchange.

The private telephone exchange, in general, has classes of servicedepending on the allowable range of the direct distance dialing (DDD)area from an extension telephone set. This embodiment is assumed to havefour classes that are prevalent in U.S.A. and Canada as listed in Table1.

                  TABLE 1                                                         ______________________________________                                                        Classes of Service                                            Accessible Area   A     B        C    D                                       ______________________________________                                        Direct outward dialling to                                                                      x     --       --   --                                      all NPA codes area                                                            Direct outward dialling to                                                                      x     x        --   --                                      specified NPA codes area                                                      Direct outward dialling to                                                                      x     x        x    --                                      self NPA codes area                                                           Outside call via  x     x        x    x                                       attendant operator                                                            Intra PBX         x     x        x    x                                       ______________________________________                                         x: allowed                                                                    --: denied                                                               

As shown in FIG. 2, the telephone terminal device 1 is made up of asection including a telephone network circuit 8, a transmitter 9 and areceiver 10, and another section including a push-button dial 3, amagnetic card reader 5, a key-lamp panels 6A and 6B, a display panel 7,an input/output interface 12, a line interface 13, a memory 14 and acharacter generator 15, all controlled by a controller 11.

In FIG. 3, telephone instruments 1(1) through 1(n) are assumed to have asetup of service class D which enables outside call through an operatorcall and disables direct outward dialing (DOD) to the DDD networks. Theservice class is set as extension data in the memory 109 shown in FIG.3. Each user of the telephone system has an individual magnetic card,which is the portable memory device 4 storing the bearer'sidentification number and the class of service (one of A-D).

The card bearer is assumed to have an identification number "x" and theunlimited service class "A", and that he or she intends to make a trunkcall using a telephone instrument 1(1). If the calling person x makes atrunk call without setting the portable memory device 4 of the magneticcard type in the card reader 5 of the telephone instrument 1, i.e.,simply dialing "9", the common procedure of the private exchange willtake place, but in this case service class D is set to this telephoneinstrument as mentioned above, and a DOD call which is detected from thedialing of "9" is disabled. The disabled connection is indicated to thecalling person by an audible signal such as a busy tone, or a voicemessage is issued through a talkie unit. Namely, unless the magneticcard forming the portable memory device 4 is set in the telephoneinstrument, any DOD calling is disabled, whereby an illegal trunk callcan be prevented.

The following describes with reference to the flowcharts in FIGS. 4A and4B the case of calling by the person x using the telephone instrument1(1) with the portable memory device 4. First, the person x inserts theportable memory device 4 in the form of a magnetic card in the cardreader 5 shown in FIG. 1 (FIG. 4A, step 401). The magnetic card reader 5shown in FIG. 2 reads the identification number "x" and service, class"A" on the card, and sends the information as an electrical signal tothe input/output interface 12. The programmed controller 11 receives theidentification number "x" and service class "A" from the input/outputinterface 12 and stores x and A as user's information for that telephoneinstrument in the memory 14 (FIG. 4A, step 402). The magnetic cardreader 5 is capable of detecting the presence of a magnetic card in it,and the stored information is held while the card is placed, in the cardreader.

Next, the person x lifts the handset, and it is detected by thecontroller 11 in FIG. 2 through a circuit not shown, and this callinginformation is transferred through the line interface 13 to the exchange(FIG. 4A, step 403). The telephone instrument 1 is assumed to link tothe exchange 100 in FIG. 3 through two pairs of cable including a speechline V and a data transmission line D, and such portions as a powersupply circuit which do not directly concern the present invention areeliminated from the drawing.

In FIG. 3, the calling information sent from the telephone instrument1(1) over the data transmission line D is received by a centralcontroller 108 through a signal receiver-distributor 107 and telephoneinterface 102, and the control is conducted by the program stored in thememory 109. Then, a dial tone is generated by a circuit not shown, andconducted to the telephone interface 102. The dial tone is sent over thespeech line V to the calling telephone terminal device 1(1), so that thecalling person is prompted to dial (FIG. 4A, step 404). When the callingperson dials the first digit, it is received by the controller 11through the input/output interface 12 in FIG. 2 (FIG. 4A, step 405), andthe dialed digit is determined by the program stored in the memory 14 asto whether or not it is the DOD access number "9"(FIG. 4A, step 406). Ifthe number is found to be "9", the caller's service class which has beenstored in the memory 14 is read to check whether the calling person ispermitted to establish a DOD connection (FIG. 4A, step 407), and in sucha case as this example where service class A is given, the informationincluding the first-digit number "9", identification number "x" andservice class "A" is transmitted to the exchange 100 over the same pathas used for sending the calling information (FIG. 4A, step 408). Uponreceiving the information "9", "x" and "A"(FIG. 4B, step 409), thecentral controller 108 verifies the service class for the validity ofconnection (FIG. 4B, step 410), and in this case with the unlimitedservice class of "A" given to the calling person, the telephoneinstrument 1(1) is immediately connected to the trunk (FIG. 4B, step414).

Namely, the central controller 108 selects a vacant time slot on theincoming highway 104 to connect the calling telephone interface 102(1),while at the same time selects a vacant trunk interface 103(1) and avacant time slot on the outgoing highway 105 so as to establish theconnection between the lines, and connects both time slots of theselected incoming and outgoing highways 104 and 105 at the time switch106. Similarly, connection is made from the telephone interface 102(1)to the outgoing highway 105, to the time switch 106, to the incominghighway 104, and to the trunk interface 103(1), so that a bidirectionalspeech path is established.

If the calling person dials "9" without using the magnetic card, i.e.,in a status of service class D, it is ignored. When the calling personhas a service class of B or C instead of A, the decision step 410 inFIG. 4B is negated, and a test is conducted as to whether or not thefirst dialing matches the service class B or C (FIG. 4B, step 411). Ifthe test result is negative, a busy tone is sent to the callingtelephone instrument (FIG. 4B, step 412), or otherwise a pseudo dialtone is issued prompting the calling person to dial the next digit so asto verify the second dialing. When the calling person x dials the seconddigit, i.e., the first digit to the trunk, it is received (FIG. 4B, step413) and transmission out the pseudo dial tone is stopped while thevalidity of the service class is verified. Subsequently, the thirddigit, i.e., the second digit to the trunk, is received, and the serviceclass verification is conducted in the same way (FIG. 4B, step 410).

Table 2 shows the formats of the trunk and local telephone number systemused in the U.S.A.

                  TABLE 2                                                         ______________________________________                                                  1   2      3     4   5   6   7   8   9   10                         ______________________________________                                        Trunk telephone                                                                           N     0/1    X   N   N   X   X   X   X   X                        number                                                                        Local telephone                                                                           N     N      X   X   X   X   X                                    number                                                                        ______________________________________                                    

where N takes one of 2 though 9, and X takes one of 0 through 9.

Accordingly if the third digit is a number other than "0" and "1", thetelephone instrument is immediately connected to the,,trunk (FIG. 4B,step 414), or if the third digit is "0" or "1" with a caller's serviceclass of C, the test result of step 411 is affirmative, causing theprocess to go to step 412 for the transmission of a busy tone to thecalling telephone instrument. When the third digit is "0" or "1" with aservice class of B, the validity cannot be determined by the step 411 inFIG. 4B, and the verification is conducted following the reception of asubsequent digit (FIG. 4B, steps 413 and 410), and the operation isrepeated until the final decision is made.

After the telephone instrument is connected to the trunk following theallowance of a connection, the second and later digits dialed by thecalling person are regenerated and transmitted to the trunk (FIG. 4B,step 415). When the called person takes a response and an answer signalcomes in through the trunk, the central controller 108 receives itthrough the trunk interface 103 and signal receiver-distributor 107(FIG. 4B, step 416), and a speech communication is established betweenthe calling person and the called person (FIG. 4B, step 417). Theexchange 100 increases the message account for the identification number"x" in the charging memory (FIG. 4B, step 418).

As described above, whereas conventionally the service class whichshould be atributive to the individual person is fixed to the telephoneinstrument, resulting in the inconvenience that a person allowed to makea trunk call cannot do 50 using a telephone instrument classified "C",or a person not permitted to make a trunk call is unrestrained to callanywhere using a telephone instrument classified "A", the presentinvention solves this problem through the use of identification cardsheld by individual persons so that the service class of each telephoneinstrument can be changed depending on the personal informationmemorized on the card.

In many cases, the telephone fee is administered independently in eachdepartment of an enterprise. In the conventional charging system where atoll is charged to each telephone instrument, a call made by a personusing a telephone instrument owned by another department is charged asif a person in that department has made that call, posing a problem thatthe amount of the fee does not always reflect reality. According to thepresent invention, tolls are charged not to each telephone instrument,but to each identification card, i.e., individual user, and the aboveproblem is solved.

Although in the foregoing embodiment an attempt of call without use ofthe identification card is given service class D, the class may be setarbitrarily.

The service class itself is not limited to the connection to the trunk.For example, a class capable of breaking in on an already establishedconnection, as called "executive override" can also be applicable.Although the above embodient has been described as an example for theprivate exchange, the present invention is also applicable to the publiccommunication network. For example, when a variety of services such asthe connection to the international network and the connection between atelephone network and a data transmission network become accessible onthe basis of the service contract, the user can benefit from theseservices using any telephone instrument or terminal device byintroduction of the card system.

Since the calling person is identified, the toll can be added to one'sown account by transferring the charging information to the exchangeoffice to which the calling person belongs. This can readily bepracticed when CCIS (Common Channel Interoffice Signaling) systemprevails domestically. For example, when the inventive card chargingsystem is applied to public telephone units, the user can make a callfor unlimited length without using coins, and can pay for the totalamount of fee by the monthly issued bill. The system will particularlybe useful for a business call.

Although in the foregoing embodiment the portable memory device has arecord of the identification number and service class, only a record ofthe identification number may be provided on the card in the case of asmall service area such as within the private exchange which can easilyfind the service class by making reference to table in the memorydevice, thereby to offer the same quality of service. However, for anationwide system, such as a nationwide telephone network, it is tooawkward to make an inquiry of the service class table registered in thespecific local exchange office, and it will be more effective to storethe service class on the identification card.

Next, the second practical embodiment of this invention applied to anautomatic dialing system will be described using the key-lamp panellayout diagram shown in FIG. 5 and the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 6A and6B. Each lamp section of the key-lamp panel 6B shown in FIG. 1 is madeup, for example, of a dot-matrix display device as shown by 61 in FIG. 5associated with a key switch 62. The portable memory device 4 in theform of a magnetic card storing the identification number is inserted inthe card reader 5 shown in FIG. 1 (FIG. 6A, step 601). The card reader 5in FIG. 2 reads the record on the magnetic card, and it is sent throughthe input/output interface 12 to the controller 11 and stored in thememory 14 (FIG. 6A, step 602).

The key-lamp panel 6B shown in FIG. 5 is a multi-purpose keyboard whosefunction is controlled by software, and so the keys 62 may be termed"software keys". To make a key-entry for automatic dialing, one of keyson the key-lamp panel 6A in FIG. 1 is specified in advance as anAUTO-DIAL key. Thus, the AUTO-DIAL key is pressed (FIG. 6A, step 603).The controller 11 (FIG. 2) detects the key-entry through theinput/output interface 12, and reads out the identification numberstored in the memory 14, and transfers it together with the informationon the entry of the AUTO-DIAL key through the line interface 13 to the,exchange 100 (FIG. 6A, step 604). Upon receiving the identificationnumber through the telephone interface 102 and signalreceiver-distributor 107, the central controller 108 reads out theauto-dial information for that identification number, i.e., the keynumber vs. person's name table, in the auto-dial table in the memory 109(FIG. 6A, step 605), and sends it back to the telephone instrument onthe same route as for receiving the identification number (FIG. 6A, step606). Upon receiving the key number vs. person's name table from theline interface 13, the controller 11 in FIG. 2 transforms the name codeinto character information using the dot patterned character generator15 (FIG. 6A, step 607), and displays it on the character display devices61 on the key-lamp panel 6B in correspondence to the software keys 62(FIG. 6B, step 608). The calling person views the person's namesdisplayed on the key-lamp panel 6B, and presses a software key 62 (FIG.5) corresponding to the desired person's name (FIG. 6B, step 609). Thecontroller 11 detects the key number of the pressed software key 62, andtransfers the identification number which has been stored in the memory14 and the software key number to the exchange 100 (FIG. 6B, step 610).In FIG. 3, the central controller 108 makes reference to the auto-dialtable in the memory 109 so as to identify the desired telephone numbercorresponding to the identification number and key number (FIG. 6B, step611), and makes a connection to the called telephone instrument of thatnumber (FIG. 6B, step 612).

In this embodiment, the exchange has a conversion table for automaticdialing and the portable memory device stores only the identificationnumber, and therefore the key and called person relationship forautomatic dialing can readily be changed even if the memory device ismade in the form of a punched card instead of a magnetic card. However,in the case of a nation-wide public communication network, it isnecessary to read out the automatic dialing conversion table registeredin the specific local exchange, and therefore the provision of amagnetic card with the automatic dialing conversion table memorizedthereon is more practical.

Namely, the magnetic card has a record of the key numbers for automaticdialing, the called person's names and the telephone numbers. Thetelephone terminal device reads out this information and displays thenames on the display devices corresponding to the key numbers, and whena key is pressed, the telephone instrument transmits the correspondingtelephone number over the line. In this case, since the communicationnetwork is not directly involved in the automatic dialing system, theautomatic dialing service for individual persons is made possiblethrough the installation of terminal devices of this function.

When the system is applied to a nationwide public communication network,the magnetic card is provided with a record of all-digit numberincluding NPA code, and the communication terminal device stores the NPAcode in which it belongs, so that when the NPA code reads out on themagnetic card coincides with the NPA code stored in the device, the NPAcode should be skipped.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 5 has software 20 keys for automaticdialing and up to 20 persons can be registered. In order to registermore than 20 persons, one of the keys on the key-lamp panel 6A in FIG. 1is used to advance the page of the table in memory, so that another 20persons can be selected by pressing this key, and thus the number ofpersons registered is independent of the terminal device hardware, butsolely dependent on the memory capacity of the magnetic card.

Although the use of a magnetic card for the portable memory device hasbeen described, other forms of memory device such as an electronicmemory card incorporating an IC memory, optical memory card, andcomposite pocket calculator prevalent by the name of "data bank" or"electronic memo" may be used.

Although in the second practical embodiment each automatic dialing keyis combined with a character display device, the same purpose isachieved by an orderly arrangement of the keys on the automatic dialingdevice and person's name labelled on the card correspondingly.

The arrangement for abbreviated dialing in place of automatic dialing ismerely the replacement of the automatic dialing keys with dialing ofseveral digits, and the above embodiment can directly be used.

Next, the third practical embodiment of the invention will be describedwith reference to the flowchart shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. By using theinventive personal information card, the calling person's name can bedisplayed on the called telephone instrument. Displaying the callingtelephone number on the called telephone instrument in advance of makingresponse has been practiced experimentally or for a limited purpose.However, the calling telephone number does not necessarily identify thecalling person. This system is effective when used in a hotel, whereeach telephone instrument is given a number equal to its room number, sothat the calling room is indicated. However, this function is not veryvaluable when used in an office where not all of the member have theirown telephone instruments, and where people frequently walk from oneplace to another and do not always make a call from one's own telephoneinstrument, and therefore the effectiveness of the system is not as highas expected.

By using the inventive personal information card constituting a portablememory device which is always set in a telephone instrument when makinga call, the exchange reads the identification number on the magneticcard, whichever telephone instrument is used, and can readily displaythe identification number or person's name on the called telephoneinstrument.

In this practical embodiment, all members of the office carry a magneticcard having a record of their individual identification number (e.g.,membership number). This card can be at the same time the membershipcertificate. The telephone instrument 1 is provided with a magnetic cardreader as shown in FIG. 1. The calling person inserts the portablememory device 4 in the magnetic card reader 5 (FIG. 7A, step 701), andlifts the handset 2. The controller 11 shown in FIG. 2 detects the callorigination, i.e., the lift of the handset 2, by a circuit not shown(FIG. 7A, step 702), and operates on the magnetic card reader 5 to readthe identification number recorded on the card (FIG. 7A, step 703). Theidentification number read by the card reader 5 is transferred throughthe input/output interface 12 to the controller 11, which in turntransmits the information of call origination together with the callingperson's identification number to the exchange 100 via the lineinterface 13 in accordance with the program stored in the memory 14(FIG. 7A, step 704).

The magnetic card reader 5 has a card detector 5' to detect the presenceof a card, and if no card is inserted in the card reader, it transmits acode indicating the absence of a card to the exchange. In the exchange100, the central controller 108 shown in FIG. 3 receives these signalsthrough the telephone interface 102 and signal receiver-distributor 107,and transmits a dial tone to the calling party by taking the dial toneconnection (FIG. 7A, step 705). On the other hand, the centralcontroller 108 converts the received identification number into thecalling person's name by making reference to a conversion table storedin the memory 109 (FIG. 7A, step 706), and stores it temporarily in thememory 109. When the code representing the absence of a card isreceived, the process for displaying the calling person's name does nottake place, but only the usual speech path connection takes place.

The calling person hears the dial tone and dials the number of thecalled party. The dialed number is relayed by the telephone instrument 1and transmitted to the central controller 108 in the exchange 100 viathe same route as for transmitting the calling information andidentification number (FIG. 7A, step 707). The central controller 108selects a vacant speech path between the calling party and called party(FIG. 7A, step 708), and reserves the speech path. Subsequently, aringing tone is transmitted to the calling telephone instrument and aringing signal is transmitted to the called telephone instrument (FIG.7A, step 709).

At a time point when the telephone instrument to be called is determined(or, alternatively, when the speech path is selected and the ringingsignal is transmitted), the central controller 108 reads out the callingperson's name from the memory 109, and transfers it in the form ofcharacter code through the signal receiver-distributor 107 and telephoneinterface 102 to the called telephone instrument (FIG. 7B, step 710).

Upon receiving the character code of the calling person's name throughthe line interface 13, the controller 11 of the called telephoneinstruments 1 converts the character code into dot patterns using thecharacter generator 15 (FIG. 7B, step 711) and transfers it through theinput/output interface 12 to the display panel 7. The display panel 7memorizes the dot patterns of the caller's name and displays it ascharacters (FIG. 7B, step 712). Accordingly, the called telephoneinstrument has a display of the calling person's name when it is ringed,allowing the called person to know the caller before taking a response.

Although in the above embodiment the magnetic card has a record of theidentification number, the bearer's name may be recorded instead in acoded form, and in this case the conversion process in step 706 of FIG.7A becomes unnecessary. Using an advanced speech synthesizing techniqueinvolving a speech synthesizer 110, as seen in FIG. 3, it is alsopossible to transform the calling person's name into a vocal message inthe exchange 100 so that the called person is notified of the caller'sname in a audible manner using a speaker built in the telephoneinstrument or a separate speaker.

Next, the fourth practical embodiment of the invention will be describedwith reference to FIG. 8 showing the system in which a private exchangeis connected with a mail system. Recently, a variety of mail servicessuch as electronic mail and vocal mail have been put into practice, andthe present invention is also effective in this field. In the known mailsystem, a mail box, i.e., a memory, is provided corresponding to eachtelephone instrument (the memory may be a part of the system commonmemory), and a mail addressed to a telephone instrument is stored in thememory, which is accessed by the telephone instrument through theoperation. For the confidential security of communication, the mail boxis generally unlocked by a pass word and the like.

By application of the present invention to the mail system, the mailboxes can be provided in correspondence to individual persons, insteadof telephone instruments, allowing each person to make access to one'smail box using an arbitrary telephone instrument. Each person bears amagnetic card with a record of the personal identification number,preferably in a cryptographic code for the purpose of confidentialsecurity.

In FIG. 8, the portable memory device 4 in the form of a magnetic cardis inserted in the magnetic card reader 5 so that the identificationnumber recorded on the card is read and transmitted to the centralcontroller 108 in the exchange 100, as in the case of the thirdpractical embodiment. When the calling person takes a mail read-outaction through a button or dial, the central controller 108 connects thecalling telephone instrument to a vacant mail trunk 110 through theconnecting network 113 so as to establish the connection to a mail box212 corresponding to the caller's identification number, and at the sametime the caller's identification number is transferred to the controller211 in the mail system 200. Thereafter, the mail service of the knownmethod proceeds within the mail system 200. For the mail service, thetelephone instrument 1 includes a display unit when necessary.

Although in the above embodiment the mail service is offered througharbitrary telephone instruments, it is also possible to restrict themail read-out capability to specified telephone instruments. Namely, thecentral controller 108, which deals with the positional information ofthe calling telephone instrument 1 on the exchange 100 for makingconnection, can correlate the telephone instrument with the caller'sidentification number so as to determine whether the telephoneinstrument is permitted to make connection with the mail system.Accordingly, through the registration of telephone instruments allowedfor mail read-out, the mail read-out service can be conductedselectively by correlating the positional information with the caller'sidentification number. In addition to the mail service through anarbitrary telephone instrument using a magnetic card, it is alsopossible to register one's own telephone instrument so that it iseffective for the service without use of the card.

Although the fourth practical embodiment employs the magnetic cardsystem, any type of portable memory device may be used, and thecommunication service is not limited to a telephone system, but thepresent invention is also applicable to data communication, andtherefore the telephone instrument described above can be expanded togeneral communication terminal devices. Although in the above practicalembodiment the personal identification number is recorded on theportable memory device, the record may be any personal data, and theservicing process may be carried out either in the communicationterminal device or in the central controller, without affecting theessence of the present invention.

Moreover, when a communication terminal device capable of intelligentprocessing through a custom-made program is available, the user can callthe program to an arbitrary terminal device using a pass word recordedon one's portable memory device, whereby the user can use the terminalas if it is one'own terminal.

As mentioned previously, the conventional service belongs to thecommunication terminal device, and not to the individual user.Therefore, any person can access a sophisticated communication serviceby using a communication terminal device which is granted for thatservice, while on the other hand a person eligible for accessing asophisticated communication service cannot have a service through aterminal which is not granted.

According to the present invention, as described in the foregoing fourtypical embodiments, a portable memory device with a record of personalinformation is prepared and held by each person eligible for a specificcommunication service, who sets the device on an unspecifiedcommunication terminal device, which reads the personal informationrecorded on the portable memory device and enables a person-orientedcommunication service. Whereas the conventional communication servicebelongs to the terminal device, the present invention enablescommunication services which belong to the individual person, and theeffectiveness of the invention is unlimited.

According to the present invention, in contrast to the conventionalautomatic dialing or abbreviated dialing in which calling keys orabbreviated numbers are made correspondence fixedly to called telephonenumbers, personal information is recorded on the portable memory devicewhich is carried by each person, whereby the automatic dialing serviceand abbreviated dialing service can be offered in such a useful manneras if the person carries one's own automatic dialing device or telephoneinstrument.

In addition, the inventive system allows the called person to know thecaller's name, not the calling telephone number, whichever telephoneinstrument is used by the calling person, thereby providing the right ofchoice of response for the called person, whereby the efficiency ofoffice work can be improved.

I claim:
 1. A personal-servicing communication system, comprising:aplurality of communication terminal devices, an exchange facility havinga central controller responsive to connection control informationreceived from one of said communication terminal devices for selectivelyinterconnecting said communication terminal devices, and a portablememory medium for memorizing personal information, including a bearer'sidentification information, wherein, (a) each of said plurality ofcommunication terminal devices has:a reader for reading out informationmemorized in said portable memory medium; means for detecting whethersaid portable memory medium is set on said reader; means fortransferring personal information read by said reader, including thebearer's identification information or information that any portablememory medium is not set on said reader, to said exchange facility; andwherein (b) said exchange facility has:means responsive to connectioncontrol information and at least the bearer's identification informationfor offering a personal communication service under control of saidcentral controller to said one communication terminal device, orresponsive to said connection control information and informationindicating that said portable memory medium is not carried on said onecommunication terminal device for offering a terminal assignedcommunication service, not personal communication service, to said onecommunication terminal device.
 2. A personal-servicing communicationsystem, comprising:a plurality of communication terminal devices, anexchange facility having a central controller responsive to connectioncontrol information received from one of said communication terminaldevices for selectively interconnecting said communication terminaldevices, and a portable memory device for memorizing personalinformation including a bearer's identification information, wherein,(a) each of said plurality of communication terminal devices has:readingmeans for reading out personal information from said portable memorydevice; PG,31 means for detecting whether said portable memory device isset in said reading means; means for transferring information to saidexchange facility to indicate that said portable memory device is notyet set, when said portable memory device is not set in said readingmeans; and means for transferring personal information including thebearer's identification information to said exchange facility; (b) saidexchange facility having:means for interfacing with an additionalservice system having a data storage facility; means for transmitting abearer's identification information received from a callingcommunication terminal device to the additional service system on thebasis of personal information received from said calling communicationterminal device; and means for effecting connection between calling andcalled communication terminal devices in response to connection controlinformation and personal information indicating that said portablememory device is not yet set in said reading means; and means responsiveto information that said portable memory device is set in the callingcommunication terminal device, for providing personal service from saidadditional service system to said exchange facility on the basis of saidbearer's identification information.
 3. A personal-servicingcommunication system comprising:a portable memory device for memorizingautomatic dialing information, including a called party's name andselection information corresponding to said called party's name; and aplurality of communication terminal devices, wherein each of saidcommunication terminal devices is provided with: (a) a software key forselecting from multiple information; (b) indicating means installed nearsaid software key for indicating information to be selected by saidsoftware key; (c) reading out means for reading out said automaticdialing information from said portable memory device; (d) a functionalkey for initiating an automatic dialing service; and (e) control meansfor controlling said reading means to read out said automatic dialinginformation when said functional key is pushed down while said portablememory device is mounted on said reading out means, for indicating thecalled party's name on said indicating means, and for setting saidsoftware key for automatic dialing.
 4. A personal-servicingcommunication system according to claim 3, wherein said communicationterminal device is provided with a page changing key, and said controlmeans operates to change said called party's name indicated on saidindicating means when said page changing key is pushed down in the casethat said software key is set to automatic dialing.
 5. Apersonal-servicing communication system comprising a plurality ofcommunication terminal devices, a portable memory device for memorizingpersonal information for discriminating a bearer and automatic dialinginformation including a called party's name and selection informationcorresponding to said called party's name, and an exchange facility foreffecting communication between said communication terminal devices,wherein:(a) each of said communication terminal devices is providedwith:a software key for selecting multiple information; indicating meansinstalled near said software key; reading out means for reading out saidpersonal information from said portable memory device; a functional keyfor initiating an automatic dialing service; transferring means fortransferring information to indicate that said functional key is pusheddown and said personal information read out from said portable memorydevice to said exchange facility, when said functional key is pusheddown; and control means for indicating said called party's name on saidindicating means on the basis of automatic dialing information receivedfrom said exchange facility, and for setting said software key forautomatic dialing; and (b) said exchange facility is provided withtransferring means for transferring said automatic dialing informationto said communication terminal device on the basis of informationreceived from said communication terminal device indicating that saidfunction key is pushed down and said personal information.
 6. Apersonal-servicing communication system according to claim 5, whereinsaid communication terminal device is provided with a page changing key,and said control means operates to change said called party's nameindicated on said indicating means when said page changing key is pusheddown in the case that said software key is set to automatic dialing. 7.A personal-servicing communication system comprising a portable memorydevice for memorizing personal information for discriminating a bearer,a plurality of communication terminal devices, and an exchange facilityfor effecting communication between said communication terminal devicesfor performing charge treatment according to said personal informationfrom said portable memory device, wherein:(a) each of said communicationterminal devices is provided with;(a) reading out means for reading outsaid personal information from said portable memory device, and (b)transferring means for transferring said personal information to saidexchange facility; and (b) said exchange facility is provided with:(c)means for offering personal communication service to said communicationterminal device in response to said personal information received fromsaid communication terminal device, and (d) means for charging a usagecharge in accordance with said personal information.